Memorial of Saint Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr
(II Timothy 2:8-13.3:10-12; Matthew 16:24-27)
The twentieth century poet T.S. Eliot wrote a play about
today’s patron saint, Thomas Becket.
Titled Murder in the Cathedral, the play paints a vivid picture
of the bishop-martyr’s final days. A
section called “Interlude” presents Archbishop Becket last sermon. It is a tour de force combining a
heightened spiritual consciousness with beautiful prose
Archbishop Becket is preaching his Christmas homily in his Canterbury
cathedral. He says that this Mass celebrates
not only the birth of Christ but, being the Eucharist, his death as well. For this reason, the archbishop proclaims,
the occasion is one of both joy and sorrow.
There is joy, of course, because the Savior has come. However, sorrow accompanies the joy because every
Mass reenacts the death of Christ on the cross to atone for human sin. Becket explains that the Church has placed the
Feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr, on the day after Christmas so that
Christians temper their celebration with a realization of their weakness. Then the archbishop foretells his own
martyrdom.
Most of us love Christmas.
Every year we look forward to its air of friendliness and generosity. But
we must not allow the conviviality of the season to turn into debauchery. Even more important, we should contemplate
how full joy only comes from living the self-sacrificing love that Jesus Christ
showed on the cross.
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